CUBA: Colombia, FARC start new round of talks in Cuba

Record ID: 349708

  • Title: CUBA: Colombia, FARC start new round of talks in Cuba
  • Date: 11th June 2013
  • Summary: HAVANA, CUBA (JUNE 11, 2013) (REUTERS) NEGOTIATING TEAM FROM THE REVOLUTIONARY ARMED FORCES OF COLOMBIA (FARC) ARRIVING TO CONVENTION CENTRE FOR ONGOING PEACE TALKS WITH COLOMBIAN GOVERNMENT (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) LEAD NEGOTIATOR FOR THE FARC, IVAN MARQUEZ, SAYING: "We would like to reiterate this peace process is not a process of submission. In Havana what has been taking
  • Embargoed: 26th June 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Cuba
  • Country: Cuba
  • Topics: Crime,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8UL6RRJBX0B6P7MCMJ22UGAU5
  • Story Text: Colombia and the Marxist FARC rebels launched their latest round of peace talks on Tuesday (June 11) in Havana to discuss political participation, the second topic on the agenda in a process aimed at ending half a century of bloody conflict in the South American nation.
    Nearly seven months after the government of President Juan Manuel Santos and the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, started peace talks, both parts have reached a partial agreement on the critical issue of agrarian reform, one of the main issues that led the FARC, or Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, to form in 1964 as a communist agrarian reform movement and launch its insurgency.
    "We are here in Havana to begin discussing political and citizen participation (...) How to open a way so that the FARC transform into a political movement and insert themselves into democracy applying their rights, but also their duties," said the Government statement.
    "What will begin today will be a discussion with regards to the organisation as a whole, without considering people or individual cases," said the Government statement read by lead Government Negotiator Humberto de La Calle.
    The first accord calls for the economic and social development of rural areas and providing land to the people living there.
    Before walking into the Convention Centre where negotiations have been taking place in Havana since November, the rebels reiterated their intention to reach "peace with social justice."
    "We would like to reiterate this peace process is not a process of submission. In Havana what has been taking place is the meeting of two parties who have fought for decades and have understood the only way out of the armed social conflict, is none other than dialogue, looking to reconcile topics of political, economic and social interest, for the good of the whole country," said lead negotiator for the FARC, Ivan Marquez.
    Nevertheless Marquez expressed his "worry" at the speed of the talks, asking for calm when the government has insisted on speeding up the process.
    "We insist and we are worried by the snapping of the whip of time and the rhythm in hands of the government who are harming the dialogue and the construction of an agreement. Equally we are aware that the progression of such a significant agreement cannot be blocked by elections and legislative decrees," Marquez said.
    In a statement, the leftist rebels asked to even "delay elections for one year" in order to advance with the negotiation, but the government firmly denied this option.
    "We have to concentrate on the agenda if we want this process to be successful. We shouldn't get distracted by proposals that fail to contribute to clarity such as what is happening with the extended period of those elected. That is not part of a constituency, it's not," de La Calle said.
    Other remaining agenda points include the logistics of ending the conflict, the drug trade, compensation for victims and the implementation of the final accord.
    Santos, who recently hinted that he plans to run for re-election in 2014, has said he wants the talks ended this year.
    Santos initiated the peace talks last year on a bet the FARC had been so weakened by the government's 10-year, U.S.-backed offensive against the group that its leaders were ready to negotiate an end to the fighting.
    Three previous peace attempts - the last ending in 2002 - had failed.
    Even if peace with the FARC is achieved, the government still must deal with a smaller rebel force, the ELN or National Liberation Army, and criminal gangs running drug-trafficking operations.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register